I want to warn readers that this article can, and hopefully will be, hazardous to the health of managers. It was written with the intention to both offend and challenge those who treat people as human cattle. I was inspired to write this article after speaking with two friends, one a mid-level employee and the other a senior executive with a company that was recently acquired by a corporate giant. Both calls were depressing, as these loyal and capable people were totally disengaged because their companies were so focused on the bottom line and, in their opinions, no longer cared about them. Worst yet, both of these individuals were considering leaving their organizations because of a genuine feeling that their respective companies no longer valued people.

These are just more examples of the hundreds of people that I meet - from entry level to executive level - who are disengaged at work. This brings up a good question. Where Have All The Leaders Gone? This question is the title of Lee Iacocca's new book, which I highly recommend for those searching for answers to our nation's problems. It's an open and candid conversation about the number one problem facing America: the lack of leadership at all levels - business, home, church, school, and government - of our society. It's a sobering book, written with conviction and passion about the destructive forces of greed and envy.

Winning organizations leverage human capital, as they understand that intellectual capital is the only advantage they have in today's highly competitive global marketplace. Ron Baker, a consultant to the service industry, states that, "you can't measure or manage that which is most important." "That" is people, the intellectual capital that is the lifeblood of an organization's future. I wanted to share the following from his enlightening book, Measure What Matters Most to Customers:

I do not intend to dwell on the debate over the word "manager" versus "leader," but in the specific context of knowledge work it is interesting to ponder where "manager" comes from:

"Manager is derived from the old Italian and French words maneggio and maǹege, meaning the training, handling, and riding of a horse... The word manager conjures images of domination, command, and ultimate control, and the taming of a potentially wild energy. It also implies a basic unwillingness on the part of the people to be managed, a force to be corralled and reined in. All appropriate things if you wish to ride a horse, but most people don't respond very passionately or very creatively to being ridden..." (Excerpts from Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity by David Whyte)

In Summary

Manage yourself and lead others.
Build a team around the values of trust, open and honest communication, respect, and performance accountability.
Hire the best and get out of the way!


Another Point to Ponder

If you think you're leading and no one's following, you're just taking a walk!

And remember, it's all about the relationship.